the bantha in the room
by Harryfan626
Summary: a concept: anakin sitting in the council room bouncing baby luke on his knees as he adamantly denies having children or attachments


The plan had always been to leave the Order after the war, but that can't happen if the war doesn't end. It should have ended, it really should have. Side by side with Mace Windu, Kit Fitso, and other Jedi masters, Anakin defeated the Sith. Sheev Palpatine, Darth Sidious, whatever he was called, was dead, there was no longer a Sith pulling the strings of the senate and the Separatists. Yet still, the war continued. The Separatists reorganized quickly after the death of Dooku and General Grevious and despite the urgings for a cease fire from the senate, led by Chancellor Bail Organa, peace did not come to fruition. So, the war continued and, bound by duty, Anakin remained a Jedi. At least he had become a master, like he had always dreamed.

While the war seemed never changing, the galaxy still moved forward and things in Anakin's life outside of the Order changed. Anakin no longer spent any of his nights in the Temple. Despite being a general, Anakin rarely went on long campaigns, most of his command now took place on Coruscant. However, the biggest change in Anakin's life was the fact that when he was at home with his secret, Order forbidden wife, which was every night, they were no longer alone. Instead, Padmé and his apartment was also home to two other sentients. Luke and Leia Skywalker, their twin toddlers. They were the best thing in his life and the biggest reason he wanted the war to end. He wanted to leave the Order. He wanted to be able to be home with his children whenever he wanted, not just at nights, or midday during lunch break, or in the mornings before sneaking into the Temple. He wanted to be their father and he wanted everyone to know.

But Anakin could never tell the truth about his attachments, about his love for Padmé, his wonderful children. Not as long as the war continued. Which was how Anakin found himself "babysitting" Senator Amidala's son.

It had started when both parents woke up earlier than usual to the sound of Leia wailing. Anakin insisted Padmé stayed in bed, there was an important bill coming up in the senate and she needed the extra sleep. He could handle their daughter on his own. Entering the twin's nursery, Anakin was relieved to find that Luke had managed to sleep through Leia's tears.

"Hey, Princess," Anakin said, swooping down to pick the toddler up out of her crib, "What's wrong?"

His only answer was Leia's continued wails. Anakin tucked Leia close to his chest and started rocking her slowly, humming softly, as he reached out with the Force to sense what was bothering with Leia. The light of her innocence reached out to him in response, expressing discomfort. Pressing a kiss to his daughter's forehead, Anakin tested his theory that she was sick, and was sure that she had a fever. He sighed for a moment. Leia being sick was going to make the day hard. Neither he nor Padmé liked leaving the twins with someone else when they were sick and they liked it even less leaving them together when one of them was sick. Still holding Leia and wrapping her bright Force presence in comfort and soothing feelings, encouraging her to fall asleep against him, Anakin returned to his bedroom.

Padmé sat up as he entered. When she saw Leia in his arms she asked, "Is she okay?"

Anakin shook his head, climbing back into bed beside Padmé and sitting back against the pillows to lay Leia on his chest. "She has a fever. Sick as a bug on a bantha's back."

"Oh no," Padmé said, reaching out to brush a curl back from Leia's forehead. "What should we do with her today? I don't want to leave her alone."

Anakin would have shrugged, but where Leia's head lay against his shoulder, he would have woken her up. "I was thinking," Anakin said, "She could go with you to the Senate. As fussy as she is when alone and sick, she's usually quiet if we're with her."

"And Luke? He'll wreak havoc on any babysitter if he's left alone knowing that Leia's with one of us." Padmé replied.

"I can take him with me." Anakin said.

"Don't you have a council meeting today? To talk about the latest campaign?"

Smiling, Anakin pressed another kiss to Leia's hot forehead, "Don't worry about it. It'll be fine. Luke and I can handle it."

"If you're sure…" But it was clear that Padmé was skeptical.

* * *

"Are just going to ignore this?" Mace asked, annoyance dripping in his voice, as the meeting was winding down. As he spoke, he gestured to where Anakin sat, bouncing a giggling Luke on his knee. The other masters, who had been talking amongst themselves, fell quiet at Mace's words. Even Anakin had to admit that by this point his family was an open secret. Everyone knew he had the twins and was with Padmé, they just all silently agreed not to talk about it. He was too necessary in the war effort, to address the issues of his attachment would force him out of the Order and end his service to the GAR. Despite the fact that he was often seen with the twins, none of the masters had mentioned them before. Apparently though, openly flaunting his son in the middle of the council rooms pushed the envelope a little too far for Master Windu and after

"Ignore what?" Anakin asked, looking up from Luke, who he had been watching with a warm, tender, paternal smile.

"The bantha in the room." Mace said, the amusement twinkling in Anakin's eyes completely absent in the other master's tone.

Anakin quickly glanced down at Luke, who was still happy just to be sitting on his father's knee, being gradually bounced, "You mean Luke?" Anakin asked, as if it wasn't obvious what Mace was talking about.

"Your son, Skywalker."

"You mean Senator Amidala's son?" Anakin laughed, "Master Windu, you know as well as I do Luke isn't my son. That would be breaking the code! I'm just babysitting."

After a long pause, during which Luke turned around in Anakin's lap and snuggled against him, Mace asked, with an unimpressed quirk of his eyebrow, "Just babysitting?"

"Before today I had never met this child in my life."

"This child who you are regularly photographed with." Mace deadpanned.

"Yes," Anakin said with a grin.

Whatever Mace was planning on saying next was cut off by a sleep yawn from Luke. Snuggling further against Anakin, the toddler mumbled, loud enough for the council to hear, "Go home, daddy?"

"Soon, buddy," Anakin replied, carding his hand through Luke's soft blond hair and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Daddy?" Mace asked, daring the younger Jedi to continue his unconvincing argument.

"It's a nickname." Anakin replied, "I have no idea where it came from. But as this meeting is done and it is clear that Senator Amidala's son is tired, I should get going. I'll meet with you tomorrow, Master Windu, to discuss the continued plan for the 501st on Malastare." Standing up, Anakin hoisted Luke on to his hip, a movement that was clearly well practiced. The toddler waved over his shoulder at the other Jedi as he was carried out of the room. Anakin didn't turn around to watch, but he heard the distinct sound of Mace hitting his forehead with his hand as he groaned in aggravation. The last thing that was seen of Anakin before the council room doors closed was the unmistakable fatherly adoration as he pressed another kiss to Luke's forehead, the toddler in his arms already asleep.

* * *

 **A/N: This story was inspired by a post I made on tumblr awhile back. Just a cute lil' fluff piece.**


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